Biodiversity and Watershed Stewardship in Elkhorn Slough

  I created this map using the Google My Maps tool. I have taken a couple classes that have used ArcGIS and I found the Google My Maps more user friendly. It was easy to use the Google Maps base layer and search for a specific area I was interested in using. Creating polygons and markers was extremely easy and I was able to manipulate the shapes easily. This tool seems to be great for creating simple maps. If I am creating a map with simplistic features, I would definitely use this map again. However, to use more complicated features or introduce more topographic features, I may prefer to use ArcGIS.

Biodiversity describes the variety of life on Earth, including different species of plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi (adapted from: National Geographic Society 2024).

  For my study area, I have chosen to look into Elkhorn Slough in Monterey Bay in California. I believe there are several reasons that Elkhorn Slough is a great area for investigating, documenting, analyzing, and promoting biodiversity. First, Elkhorn Slough provides habitat for hundreds of species, including six species that are listed as threatened or endangered (NOAA Office for Coastal Management 2024). This makes this are an ideal location for biodiversity research and conservation efforts. Next, the Elkhorn Slough watershed is made up of a diverse set of habitats including salt marsh, maritime chaparral, coastal prairie, coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, and grasslands (NOAA Office for Coastal Management 2024). This diversity in ecosystems makes it a great nursery ground for various marine species (California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2024). Lastly, Elkhorn Slough is located in Central California where there may be a lot of human interaction and impact on the estuary. R...